Centrifugal casting machine



Dec. 4,1928. I 31,693,654!

I W. D. MOQRE ETAL CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE (WEIGHING MECHANISM)Filed Oct. 7, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l mvamons Mill/1M0 000a WALTER .4TTORNEY 1 k W.- D; MOORE ETAL,

CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE (WEIGHING MECHANISM) Filed 001;. '7, 1927ATTORNEYS Dec. 4, 1928.

W. D. MOORE ET. AL CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE (WEIGHING MECHANISM)Filed Oct. '7, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet quantities of molten metal to becharged,

Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

unrrso sT'A'rss ater WILLIAM D. MOORE AND WALTER MORGAN, 0F BIRMINGHAM,ALABAMA,-ASSIGNORS TO SAND SPUN PATENTS CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

GENTBIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE (WEIGHING MECHANISM).

Application filed October 7, 1927. Serial No. 224,636.

This invention is an improvement incentrifugal casting machines, andmore particularly in mechanism enabling the charging into a mold of aselected weight of metal.

In the usual practice in centrifugal casting, by the method set forth inPatent No. 1,471,052, granted on October 16, 1923, a battery of machinesis provided, each including a ladle for a charge of molten'metal, soconnected with the machine, that it is operated to automaticallydischarge the metal into the mold at a selected period in the operationof the machine.

A bull ladle is provided for charging the respective ladles oftheseveral machines, and the amount discharged at each machine isarbitrary, depending upon the judgment of the operator. Because ofthis-method of metal distribution, there is liable to be irregularities inthe weights of the finished castings.

One of the primary objects of thepresent invention is the provision inconnection with a tilting ladle of the character shown and described inPatent No. 1,620,831, granted on March 15, 1927, of mechanism forindicat-- ing to the operator when a selected quantity of molten metalhas been discharged from the bull ladle into the charging'ladle.

Another object is the provision insuch mechanism, of means enablingvariable and the proper quantity to be indicated.

Another object is the provision of a construction applicable to machinesof the type shown and described in the last mentioned patent, withoutmaterial changes in such machines,

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts fully describedhereinafter,illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claimsappended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to with out departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings forming a part hereof Fig. 1 is a side view of acentrifugal casting machine provided with the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the inlet end of the machine, showing the ladlemounting.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the tilting ladle 1, whichis of the character shown and described in the last mentioned aten't, isarranged in a frame 2, which has oppositely extending pairs of pins 3and 4. A tilting support indicated generally at 5 is pivoted to abracket 6, which is hinged to the end of a support 6 rising from thetilting frame or carriage 8,

at the end of the hood 7. The hood cooperateswith the tilting carriageto rotatably,

support the mold thereon.

The hinged connection of the bracket 6 with the support 6 is indicatedat 9, and is of a character such that the bracket 6, the

of the machine, and at the other sidereleasable means 9 may be providedto hold the bracket in place.

The bracket is provided with oppositely extending journal pins 10, andthe support 7 5 which is of substantial rectangular formation as shownmore particularly in Fig. 2, has notches or recesses 11 in which thepins is mounted for rocking movement on the bracket, the extent ofmovement being limited by stops 12 and 13 at the outer and inner ends ofthe bracket respectively.

The journal pins 4 of the ladle frame 2 rest in rounded notches 14 inthe ,support 5, and slightly beyond the journal pins 10 toward themachine. The journal ins 3 rest upon the support 5, the sides of t esupport being cut away as shown at 15 to provide engaging surfaces forthe pins. A An arm 16 dependsfrom the frame 2, and this arm' isconnected with mechanism oper ated by the tilting of the machine andmold, or otherwise, for tilting the "ladle to dis charge. the contentsinto the mold on the machine, through a spout 17 supported by engage.-Thus the support with the ladle the bracket 6. Referring to Fig. 3, itwill be noticed that the pins 10 are journaled in bearing blocks 18 onthe top of the bracket 6, and that ball bearings 19 are interposedbetween each pin and the adjacent block. A key 20 is arrangedtransversely of the outermost notch 11, to prevent accidentaldisplacement of the pin.

It will be apparent that the support 6 is substantially yoke shaped,with the body toward the mold, and with the frame 2 between the arms ofthe yoke. At that end of the support 5 adjacent'to the mold a cross bar21 is supported upon a counterweight 22-ex- 1 tending transversely ofthe support and connected thereto. The bar 21- is designed to supportweights 23, which are of the usual construction, being disks havingsubstantially radial notches which fit over the bar. In the presentconstruction the frame 8 is hinged or pivoted at 25, and a motor 26 ismounted on the frame for rotating the mold. The ladle is tilted when themold moves downward from the dotted line poistion of Fi 1 tothe fullline position.

in elbow lever 27 is pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at 28 toa fixed support 29, and one arm of the lever is in position to beengaged by the tilting frame as it'moves toward the horizontal or levelposition. The other arm is adapted to be con- .nected to the arm 16above mentioned, by

means of a strut 30, consisting of two parts, connected by a turn buckle31. The strut is adapted to be interposed between the lever 27 and thearm 16as shown in Fig. 1, and the lower end thereof is forked as shownat 32 to engage a cross pin in the end of a connecting link 33 pivotedto the frame or carriage. The cross pinis s'lidable in a slot 34 in acam plate 35 secured to the lever 27.

When the frame or carriage is lowered in the leveling of the mold, thelever 27 will be swung, and through the strut, movement will be impartedto the ladle support, the ladle bein tilted on the journal ins, todischarge t e contents thereof into t e pouring spout. The cam slotconsists of two portions ofi'set laterally from each other and connectedby an inclined portion as shown, and as described in .Patent No.1,620,831, above mentioned. The arrangement is such that during the lastpart of the tilting movement the speed of tilting is increased so thatthe flow-of the metal at the beginning of the tiltin is relatively slowand at the and relative y fast. Because of the flaring construction ofthe ladle, a relatively large amount of metal flows at the start, andthis amount decreases toward the end of the t1tling movement. The .camslot arrangement enables the discharge from the ladle f to besubstantially uniform. In practice the mold is rotated at a relato holdthe metal on the mold wall. -At or near the moment when the mold attainsa level position, the speed of movement is abruptly increased to throwthe metal on the mold wall and retain it there.

The operation of the-weighing mechanism is as follows: The'cbunterweight22 is designed to balance the ladle with slightly less than the minimumload which it is contemplated to place in the ladle. The balance weights23 are then added to give the final adjustment for the desired weight ofmolten metal. In pouring the metal from the bull ladle, no attempt toneatly balance, suflicient metal being poured into the ladle to causethe frame to tilt to a rest onstop 12. Once the proper weight 23 isplaced, no change is necessary, except to correct out of baltnce becauseof sculls in the ladle. When the ladle is empty the support '5 will restupon the stops 13.

From the bull ladle 'a suflicient quantity of metal is descharged intothe charging ladle to bring the parts tothe position-"co rest on stop12. The casting machine is then operated in the usual manner, and at theproper time theladle is tilted to discharge the molten metal through thespout 17 into'the mold to be cast.

What is claimed as new is i 1. In a casting'machine, the-combinationwith the ladle of means connected with the machine for supporting theladle, a support for the ladle on the connecting means, and mechanismfor balancing the support on said means, said mechanism including meansto support additional weights to balance a selected Weight of metal inthe ladle. 2. In a casting machine, in combination, a ladle, a supportfor the ladle, a bracket for connecting the ladle to the machine, meansfor pivoting the support to thebracket for limited rocking movementthereon, and means to balance the parts including interchangeableweights to balance a desired amount ofmetal in the ladle.

3. In a centrifugal casting machine, in'

combination, a ladle, a support upon which the ladle is mounted to tilt,a bracket for connecting the support to the machine, means for pivotingthe support to the bracket for limited rocln'ng movement thereon, acounterweight for balancing the parts, and de-i iaaglliable weights tobalance the metal in the a e. v

4. In a centrifugal casting machine, .in combination, a ladle, a supportupon which the ladle is mounted to tilt, a bracket for connecting thesupport or pivotmg the support to the bracket for to the machine, meanslimited rocking movement thereon, a counterweight for balancing theparts, a bar ex tending transversely of the support, and notched weiht-s for engaging the bar to balance a selected weight of metal in theladle.

5. In a centrifugal casting machine including a hood, a bracket hingedthereto at he charging end of the machine, said bracket carryin adirecting spout, a ladle support balance( on the bracket and havingmeans for supporting a ladle for tilting movement whereby to dischargethe contents thereof into the spout, said support having a limitedrocking movement on the bracket, and mechanism for counterbalancing thesupport and a, ladle, including detachable weights to balance a.selected amount of metal in the ladle.

6. In a casting machine, a bracket for supporting a ladle at thecharging end of the machine, a ladle support mounted to rock on thebracket and having means to receive and support a ladle, means forlimiting the rocking movement of the support in each direction, and'counterweighting mechanism for the supportand a ladle of knowndimensions, including interchangeable weights for balancing a selectedamount of molten metal in the ladle.

7. In a centrifugal casting machine, in-- eluding a tilting frame orcarriage pivoted near one end,.and provided at the other with a bracketfor supporting a ladle, a ladle support having a limited rockingmovement on thebracket, and provided with means to support a ladle fortilting movement thereon to discharge the contents of the ladle, acounterweight to normally hold the support and the empty ladle inbalanced position, and interchangeable weights for connection with theframe to balance a selected weight of metal in the ladle.

8. In a centrifugal casting machine, including a tilting frame orcarriage pivoted near one end, and provided at the other with a bracketfor supporting a ladle, a ladle support having a limited rockingmovement on the bracket, and provided with means to support a ladle fortilting move ment thereon to discharge the contents of the ladle, acounterweight to normally hold the support and the empty ladle inbalanced position, means operated by the levelin r movement of thecarriage to tilt the ladle, an interchangeable weights for connectionwith the frame to balance a selected weight of metal in the ladle.

9. In 'acentrifugal casting machine, including a tilting frame orcarriage pivoted near one end, and provided at the other with a bracketfor supporting a ladle, said bracket mounted to swing into and out ofposition at the end of the carriage, a ladle support having a limitedrocking movement on the bracket, and provided with means to sup- .port aladle for tilting movement thereon to discharge the contents of theladle, the bracket having a pouring spout into which the ladledischarges, a counterweight to normally hold the support and the emptyladle in balanced position, and. interchangeable weights for connectionwith the frame to balance a selected weight of metal in the ladle.

Signed at Birmingham in the county of J efl'erson andState of Alabamathis 29th day of' Sept. A. D. 1927. V

WILLIAM D. MOORE. WALTER MORGAN.

